Browns 27 Texans 17

The following are my thoughts on today's win over the Texans:

1. Derek Anderson had another outstanding start today. He did throw the one pick which we have come to expect. But the fact is he is winning and gives us the big play capability we have been looking for. I do love the fact that he isn't afraid to make a tough throw and he seems to relish the opportunity to do so.



2. Jamal Lewis had a great day and he really punished the Texans defenders with his aggressive, downhill running style. It was nice to finally be able to run the ball at the end of the game to milk the clock and not have to rely as much on the passing game.



3. Braylon and especially K2 had great games today. Winslow made a lot of great catches in traffic. We as fans have really come to expect Winslow and Edwards get a 100 yards in receiving every game.



4. The defense as a whole had its best game of the year today. We finally saw corners with excellent coverage as well as constant pressure on the quarterback. Its amazing how much better the defense and the defensive backfield look when we get constant pressure on the quarterback.



5. I know their were times that we didn't get to Schaub but at least for the most part we made him at least move his feet in the pocket.



6. Brandon McDonald had a breakthrough game tonight and if he continues his solid play you could see him making Leigh Bodden a permanent nickel back in the future. It also lets Eric Wright recover from his knee injury and not force the Browns to rush him back into the lineup before he is fully recovered.



7. Can CBS please tune down the volume on Gus Johnson's microphone about 10 notches please.



8. I must give props to Nick Sorenson for a great game on special teams, he made two great tackles and nicely grabbed the onside kick to salt away the victory. The guy looks like someone from the munilot we found tossing around the football in the parking lot and gave him a uniform. Honestly, though if we see too many drops out of Tim Carter, why not make Sorenson a wide out.



9. I thought the most important play in the game was the D'Qwell Jackson interception because at that time the Browns were down 7 and the Texans were driving for another score. It was great to see D'Qwell back on the field again.



10. Looking ahead to next week's game against the Cardinals is a game that really scares me. Its not that the Cardinals are a juggernaut or anything but I have seen a lot of teams (i.e Philadelphia Eagles) riding a wave of momentum go out to Arizona and lay an egg. This game will tell a lot about the makeup of the team, cause this game does have trap written all over it.



11. The one good thing about playing the Cardinals is that they are fresh off a demoralizing loss and someone you want to get on early.

My 4 game balls go to

1. Kellen Winslow



2. Brandon McDonald



3. Brodney Pool



4. Nick Sorenson

Browns 33 Ravens 30

Here are my thoughts on Sunday's thrilling overtime win over the Ravens:

1. Derek Anderson bounced back from the Pittsburgh game with a solid effort. He did throw a pick that was returned for a touchdown, but ran the offense very effectively. Like I have mentioned in previous weeks the big thing with DA is that at the end of the game he always gets his team down the field and gives them a chance to win the game. His best play was in the fourth quarter shrugging off a defensive lineman and throwing a 15 yard completion to Braylon Edwards that set up the tying field goal.


2. Jamal Lewis responded and had a solid effort against his former team. I do like the intensity he brings and even though he did get a unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for spiking the ball on the Ravens sideline, I think this is something that will endure him to the fans who all would love to do that to the Ratbird sideline.


3. The defense seems to have found the fountain of youth with a day of six sacks against Baltimore.


4. If you asked me to name a defensive MVP for the team this year I would have to go with Robaire Smith. He has been excellent in run defense and leads the team with four sacks. Phil Savage should be lauded for an excellent signing. The thing I like about Robaire is that he goes out and does his job and you don't have to worry about him doing something stupid or undisciplined.


5. The Eric Wright loss will hurt the defense. He was really coming into his own and was excellent in run support. Preliminary indications say he will be out 2-3 weeks. While he has improved every week it seems that Leigh Bodden has gotten worse week by week.


6. Brandon McDonald has played well in his limited reps. I would like to see him come in as the nickel corner which I think he would do the job at.


7. The following is the biggest understatement of the year. Josh Cribbs is a beast. He is the best special teams player in the NFL. As a returner the thing that he does the best is always goes north and south and you rarely see him put the team in a bad situation. He also caused a fumble in coverage. The rest of the mainstream media is finally taking notice to the type of player he is.


8. The best thing about the win was seeing pompous Brian Billick out coached and then seeing him cry in a press conference and on the field after the officials got the call right.


9. I think if the Browns make the playoffs this year we all owe a beer to Pete Morelli and his crew.


10. With the win and the Steelers loss the division title is still attainable but were going to have to run the table and hope that Pittsburgh loses to Jacksonville and New England.

My game balls go to:

1. Pete Morelli and his crew.

2. Josh Cribbs

3. Kellen Winslow

Steelers 31 Browns 28

The following are my thoughts on today's loss against Pittsburgh:

1. Derek Anderson had his worse start of the year today. He started out strong but really was shaky in the second half throwing behind receivers. He should get credit for still finding a way to give his team a chance at the end of the game to tie with a field goal.




2. I give credit to Braylon for making a tremendous catch in the end zone for a touchdown, but if he wants to be the player he says he can be he needs to have more than just one catch. K2 and Jurevicius came to play but sadly Edwards didn't. I do realize he isn't throwing the ball but I just think he should be able to get more than one catch.




3. I give Romeo credit for having the team ready to play at the onset of the game and they look fired up and ready to go. But the two timeout fiasco in the 4th quarter was a huge blunder. Look at it this way, if he doesn't waste those timeouts we get the ball back with around 2 minutes instead of 1:10 left in the game.




4. More infuriating is after the game he had no explanation for it, he just described the situation. I really think if Romeo would just say I screwed up and say put the blame on me for that, the fans would at least not be as hard on him. He needs to and will be held accountable for this.



5. The only problem I really had with the game plan on offense was that I thought it would have been nice to see Jason Wright get a few carries to see if he could give a change of pace and get some yards on the ground.



6. The biggest reason for the collapse in the second half was that we only ran about 16 plays and it tired the defense out.



7. To me the biggest turning point in the game was the Lewis fumble, because at that point the Steelers offense was sputtering. Also, that is really where the Browns started to struggle on defense.


8. I have ripped the defense in past weeks, but I do believe they deserve credit for getting more pressure than they had in the past few weeks. One thing that bothers me does Kamerion Wimbley know more than one pass rush move to get to the quarterback. Lineman are intelligent and pick up on this.


9. While analyzing the schedule if we want to win the division we really have to win out and even that might not be enough. But on the wild card chase our remaining opponents have a 23-39 won/loss record while Jacksonville's remaining opponents have a 33-28 record and Tennessee's opponents record is 27-34.


10. I really believe playing Baltimore is good for the Browns in that their should not be much of a lingering factor in this loss because were playing a team we hate just as much. This is a game where you want to get on them early because their liable to pack it in pretty quickly, but look to see Kyle Boller at quarterback on Sunday for the Rats.

My 3 goathorns go to:

1. Jamal Lewis: His turnover changed the game.


2. Roemo Crennel: His mismanagement of timeouts cost the team a chance of winning in overtime.


3. Braylon Edwards: Need more than one catch out of your big play receiver.

Browns 33 Seahawks 30

The following are my thoughts on Sunday's thrilling overtime win over Seattle:

1. Derek Anderson had another solid game. I think this was his best game so far since he put 33 points up against a very good defense and he picked apart that defense when they were expecting passes to be coming. There were some runs mixed in but the Seahawk defense was playing pass coverage much of the second half. He did throw a pick but it really wasn't his fault the defensive lineman just mad a great play. He did a great job of taking what the defense gave him and checked down numerous times.


2. Jamal Lewis had a big day with his 4 touchdowns, but the even bigger play was his reception on a screen pass in overtime that but the Browns in position to win the game. As this team evolves in the coming years I think you could groom Jamal Lewis into a Bettis type role. I think his contributions behind closed doors have also helped this team immeasurably.


3. Kellen Winslow had probably the best game of his young career. He played eerily similar to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State in that the opposition knew he was going to get the ball, but had no way to stop him.


4. The defense gave up plenty of yardage but didn't let the Seahawks in the end zone in the second half. They aren't playing great but they are playing well enough to keep the team in the game until the offense catches fire. But like Tony Grossi said in years past the defense would play great for 58 minutes and lose it in the last 2 minutes, but now they are playing below average for 58 minutes and winning the game in the last 2 minutes.


5. Seeing that we cant get any pressure, I really think our game plan against Pittsburgh should be to keep the quarterback in the pocket and make him beat us from their.


6. The defense really didn't give up the big play so that is progress in that regard as well.


7. I really think it is about time to extend the contract of Romeo and give him that security that he deserves.

Browns 27 Rams 20

The following are my thoughts on today's win over the Rams:

1. Derek Anderson had another solid day throwing 3 td's and not turning the ball over he is showing that he is growing in leaps and bounds as a player. You can tell in some of his throws how his confidence is growing in leaps and bounds. It is scary to think how close he was to getting waived in training camp.


2. The big negative for me in today's game was the way we started. If we want to be a playoff team we have to come out strong. Because when we score early it takes the opponents running game out of the equation.


3. I love how we used all three running backs today. They all our different kinds of backs and really give a defensive coordinator fits.


4. You could really see today after we got the passing game how the running game really got going and the holes started to open up.


5. Give the offensive line credit again though on opening up the holes and keeping Derek Anderson clean in the pocket.


6. Braylon Edwards had an excellent day today. It really seemed like he could of caught the ball at will anytime he wanted today. The only negative was his drop that could have salted the game away today. But with that being said, Braylon is well on his way to being in Honolulu for the pro bowl. Also, Derek Anderson deserves consideration for the pro bowl.


7. I know the defense game up lots of yardage today, but when they needed a play to win the game they got it. Also, they only gave up 2 field goals after the first quarter. But we are going to need a bigger performance out of them next week against Seattle.

Tribe 7 Red Sox 3

The Cleveland Indians took a commanding 3 games to 1 lead tonight with a 7-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Jacobs Field. Here are my thoughts on tonight's game:

1. Paul Byrd came through win a solid start tonight. He was a big key in that he matched 0's with Wakefield and wouldn't let the Tribe fall behind. He really only had one inning in the first five where he fell into trouble. I thought he did get tired in the 6th inning but I think the 30 minutes sitting in the dugout had something to do with it. But give Byrd credit he has given his team a big lift in his last two starts.


2. Nice job by Jensen Lewis and Betancourt of pitching 4 innings of quality relief. I would have liked to see Rafael Perez get some work tonight, but you cant fault Eric Wedge for going with the hot hand tonight.


3. I love the quiet confidence this team plays with. You could tell just by the look in the player's eyes in the dugout and in the field that they fully expected to win tonight.


4. I think the off day will be a good thing for the Indians with giving the bullpen a day of rest and there will be no hangover from tonight's game.


5. The fans tonight were tremendous and have had a huge impact on the game the last two nights and have been much louder and more intimidating than those idiot Red Sox and Rockies fans.


6. Big props go to the Tribe hitters because they kept a solid approach against Tim Wakefield and didn't let the knuckleball get to them. Hitting coach Derek Shelton deserves a lot of credit for this as well.


7. I really believe that if we can get a lead early against Beckett on Thursday night we will be in really good shape. Because you don't want to give the Red Sox any hope because they can turn things around in a big way.

Tribe 4 Red Sox 2

The Cleveland Indians took a 2-1 series lead in their ALCS series with the Boston Red Sox tonight at Jacobs Field. Here are my thoughts on the game:

1. Jake Westbrook was great tonight. He was locked in with getting numerous ground ball outs and worked out of a key jam in the second inning that was the turning point in the game. The key thing with this rotation is that your going to get professional outings out of all four starters.
2. Another key in tonight's game was Jensen Lewis getting a big strikeout over Pedroia in the 7th inning. This really stopped the momentum the Red Sox had with the Varitek homer to cut the lead to two.
3. Rafael Betancourt was locked in and worked a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th and this was really where the save was had.
4. I have said before but tonight pointed out that if you can keep the Boston 3, 4, 5 hitters off the bases you will beat the Red Sox.
5. You have to love the Indians chances tomorrow night against a guy who hasn't faced live action in 22 days. I fully expect Paul Byrd to give a good outing. I'm not a big believer in momentum but has been clear the last two nights the Tribe is the better team.

Tribe 13 Red Sox 6

The Cleveland Indians pulled even tonight in their American League Championship Series tonight at Fenway Park. Here are my thoughts on tonight's big win:

1. Fausto Carmona was not sharp tonight and only lasted 4 innings. I thought he had good stuff tonight but his command was lacking. He along with Rafael Perez but the bullpen in a bad spot but the club rose above it.


2. After Perez came out of the game the bullpen was awesome tonight and was a huge difference in the game. Jensen Lewis, Betancourt,Mastny, and Borwoski were outstanding.


3. I along with a lot of people were clamoring for another bullpen arm at the trading deadline and when you watch Tom Mastny go 1,2,3 in the 10th and then you see Eric Gagne throw up all over himself you have to wonder what do us fans really know. I guess we can cue up the Brian Billick quote "This is why players play, coaches coach, and managers manage".


4. How satisfying was it tonight to see the bean people leaving Fenway while the game was still going on. I thought these were the greatest fans in baseball.


5. Another big key in tonight's game was Grady Sizemore's play. He really led the club from an offensive standpoint and the rest of the team seemed to follow.


6. Can the Trot Nixon bashers please go away now. I think this will finally put him into the good graces of all Tribe fans.


7. To show the kind of team this two of the biggest contributions tonight were by Trot Nixon and Tom Mastny.


8. Another key tonight was that Eric Wedge out managed Terry Francona. He did well to manage to get 7 innings of relief out of the bullpen.

Tribe 6 Yankees 4

The Cleveland Indians are headed to the American League Championship Series as they eliminated the New York Yankees three games to one. Here are my thoughts on the game and the series win:

1. Paul Byrd came through in a big way with a gritty pitching performance. He battled and kept the Yankees off balance with his guts and guile. He also proved Eric Wedge to be a genius for starting him in this big game.


2. Grady got the club started tonight with a big lead off homer and it really set the tone as the Yankees were always battling uphill tonight and in the series.


3. Rafael Perez wasn't as dominant as he has been in the past but he made some big pitches to get out of some jams. He was a big part in winning the series. Rafael Betancourt steadied the fort in the 8th with his pinpoint control. Plus, it just wouldn't of seemed right if Joe Borowski to have him pitch a 1-2-3 inning.


4. The timely hitting in this series had a huge impact on the series and had to be deflating to the Yankees. This also bodes well for us in the next series.


5. The thing that is so special about this Indians team you cant really name one or two guys who were a MVP of the series. It was a total team effort from the batting, defense, and pitching.


6. Eric Wedge and the whole coaching staff deserve a lot of credit. They had the team prepared from the first pitch of game 1. This team plays with the confidence of its manager.


7. One note on the Yankees. Joe Torre is a class act and it was very nice and touching to see him heap praise on the Indians. Mr. Torre deserves a much better fate than he is receiving from his ownership.


8. This win is so gratifying in that it shuts up the National Media who never gave us a chance in this series. I also believe the more you count this team out the harder they play.

The Indians will now head on to the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday night. The pitching match up will be CC Sabathia vs. Josh Beckett.

Yankees 8 Tribe 4

The Cleveland Indians lost Game 3 of their AL Division Series tonight at Yankee Stadium. Here are my thoughts on tonight's game:

1. Jake Westbrook started and was effective for 4 innings before the Yankees caught up to him in the 5th inning. I know Jake was effective early but he still didn't throw enough of strikes.
2. Trot Nixon got the surprise start tonight which I was OK with since he had great success against Clemens and game through with 2 hits and 2 RBI's but gave those runs back with his error. I know other people who hate the guy wont like the move but I wont go crazy either way.
3. The bullpen was effective again. I really think all we will need is 5 quality innings out of Paul Byrd tonight and then go to the quartet of Lewis, Perez, Betancourt, and Borowski.
4. I know the national media will say the Yankees got their offense back on track but to me I wouldn't be so sure. Also, I like the way we did battle when we were down five runs.
5. In this series I have always felt the magic number of runs for a win would be 5 and I still feel that way going to tomorrow night. I seriously hope Wedge takes the initiative and treats it as a must win game.

Tribe 2 Yankees 1 (11 innings)

The Cleveland Indians took a commanding two game lead tonight in their division series with the New York Yankees in heart stopping fashion. Here are my thoughts on the game:

1. What a performance by Fausto Carmona tonight. You run out of adjectives when describing his performance. It is among the greatest pitching performances in a postseason game for a Cleveland Indians pitcher. It seemed he got stronger as the game went on and was determined not to let us lose tonight.


2. I know we were feeble in our attempts to get a run in tonight, but you have to like how every inning we were relentless and kept pushing the envelope.


3. The national media and the Yankee fans will claim that we won because of the bugs in the 8th inning. But i simply say we didn't let the critters get us out of our game. Then you hear Yankee players still moaning about it. Its part of the conditions deal with it.


4. The crowd was excellent the first two games of this series and had a huge impact on getting the victories. Ive heard other raucous ballparks this postseason but none as loud as the Jake.


5. If you were going to give a MVP for the first two games of the series, I think you would have to give serious consideration to Rafael Perez. He has pitched four perfect innings of relief against the supposed best lineup in baseball.


6. I also think its time the fans and the national media give Eric Wedge a boatload of credit. He has clearly out managed Joe Torre in this series.

The Indians will now head to the Bronx to try and finish off the sweep as Jake Westbrook faces Fat Boy Roger Clemens at 6:30 pm on Sunday night.

Tribe 12 Yankees 3

The Cleveland Indians started the postseason in an outstanding way with a big 12-3 win over the Yankees tonight at Jacobs Field:

1. CC wasn't great but was good enough tonight. He made enough pitches to keep the ball club in the game. I loved the way he kept his composure on a night when Bruce Froemming had a microscopic strike zone.



2. By the way, Froemming it is about time you retire. It was absurd that this guy is a home plate umpire in the opening game of a playoff series.



3. The Indians showed growth tonight in that they came right back at the Yankees every time the Yankees put runs on the board. The big thing is that how does this club play after a big win. You have to feel good with Carmona on the mound.



4. A big key tonight was that the marquee players for the Tribe stept up and had big nights and the marquee players for the Yankees had disappointing nights.

The Tribe gets back at it tomorrow with Game 2 as the Fausto Carmona faces Andy Pettitte.

Browns 27 Ravens 13

Here are my thoughts on Sunday's big win:

1. The Browns were prepared right from the start of the game and Romeo and his whole coaching staff deserve all the accolades for this win. He should be lauded for winning two division games which is something he was criticized for in the past. I believe if he guides this team to a 7 or 8 win season and keeps his job he will look back at this win as a job saving win.


2. Also, accolades should go to both coordinators. I called out Todd Grantham last week and he came with a good game plan and made the Ravens work for what they got. He was astute in knowing that the Ravens aren't going to beat you going up the field 5 yards at a time without giving up the big play. I still would like to see us get more pressure on the quarterback.


3. Great game plan by Chud in that he attacked early which did open up the running game. I think he has shown the ability to be the best offensive play caller since Lindy Infante. I love how he went for the jugular after going up 7-0, he went up top for the big touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards. Baltimore was never the same after this.


4. Great job by the fans in making their voices heard. This was one of the more satisfying wins in that in the third quarter you could sit and relax and know we were going to get the victory.


5. Derek Anderson wasn't great but he was solid and besides the one pick he really made some good decisions and had some nice throws to K2.


6. Speaking of Winslow, he had a great game playing with a bum shoulder. I really feel like he is becoming the vocal leader on offense along with Jamal Lewis.


7. Yardage wise Jamal Lewis didn't have a great game but he did run hard and made the Ravens honor the run and not play pass coverage all day. I really felt like the Ravens were hell bent on not letting Jamal beat them and it allowed Braylon and K2 to have great days.


8. I also wanted to spotlight that on offense Josh Cribbs had a nice day with a return to the 40 yard line that set up the ball club in great field position to start the day. Also, Jason Wright had some nice runs on a couple of draws which helped the offense put points on the board.


9. Willie McGinest had a nice day in his return to the field and really made his presence felt in being a stabilizing force to the other players on defense. Also, Eric Wright had a much better day and hopefully this will help his play improve.


10. With the Patriots next on our schedule, I don't expect us to go into Foxboro and win. But I just want to see a good effort and let it all out their on the field. It will be a great measuring stick to see how much better we have gotten since week 1.

My game balls go to:

1. Whole Coaching staff


2. Kellen Winslow


3. Offensive Line

Raiders 26 Browns 24

The following are my thoughts on the Browns frustrating loss Sunday in Oakland:

1. Derek Anderson didn't have a great game but after a shaky start did some very good things in the second half. He should be lauded for giving his team a chance to win. Especially impressive was how he led the team down the field with less than 2 minutes and no timeouts.
2. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow had great efforts in this game. Was really good to see Braylon put two solid efforts in a row. This is a sign of maturity in his game. It has come out later in the week that he played with a separated shoulder. Which is more impressive that he had such a good game with a bum shoulder.
3. Once again the defense was bad. When is Todd Grantham going to get criticism from the media. This guy is Teflon in the local media. I'm not saying it is all his fault but he is in charge of the unit.
4. Ive heard numerous people blame the defensive line. While breaking down the tape they aren't getting pushed around, their just not athletic. With this being said it is up to the linebackers to fill the gaps and make some plays.
5. Scott Player punted well in subbing for an injured Dave Zastudil. I like that he punts to the sideline and does a good job of allowing his coverage team to make a play. I love the guy's look, finally a punter who looks like a hard ass.
6. Josh Cribbs had another stellar game and really gave the team a lift and changed the momentum in the game. When will the national media start talking about him in the same company as a Devin Hester.

Browns 51 Bengals 45

The following are my thoughts on Sunday's thrilling win over Cincinnati:

1. Derek Anderson had a phenomenal game in his first start of the year. I thought it was the best single game performance by a Browns quarterback since Kelly Holcomb in the playoff game with Pittsburgh. The only difference he found a way to win the game. I don't mind that he takes chances when throwing the ball since he always seems to give his receiver a chance to make a play.


2. Outstanding game plan and play calling my Coach Chud. I criticized him last week for going away from the run, but today he managed to be very aggressive while never going away from the run. Finally it was nice to see an offensive coordinator not be predictable. The most predictable call he made was Vickers on the dive on 4th and 1. Romeo also deserves a lot of credit for keeping the team focus on the Bengals and not let the national media's opinion of this team be a distraction.


3. Kellen Winslow had a great game and I really feel like he is becoming a leader on offense. Braylon Edwards probably had the best game of his career on Sunday as well, but the big challenge for him will be stringing good performances on a week to week basis and becoming the complete #1 receiver everyone expected him to be when we picked him as the #2 pick.


4. Jamal Lewis had a vintage day and it was good to see him look like the Jamal Lewis of old. I think the game will do wonders for his confidence. Also, it should definitely be noted how well the offensive line played. I might be going out on a limb here but I think it is the best performance by a Cleveland Browns offensive line since the rebirth in 1999.


5. The defense did give up 45 points, but when we needed stops we did get them. The most disappointing part of the defense's performance was their poor tackling. Numerous times we had Rudy Johnson stopped behind the line and we missed tackles. Also distressing was the lack of pass rush again against Cincinnati.


6. The crowd was phenomenal and did us proud in pouring beer on Chad Johnson.

My game balls go to:

1. Derek Anderson


2. Offensive Line


3. Edwards, Jurevicius, Winslow


4. Jamal Lewis


5. Coach Chud

My goat horns go to:

1. Todd Grantham


2. Fans in the Dawg Pound hugging Chad Johnson


3. National Media Pundits who still refuse to give Browns any credit on win.

Steelers 34 Browns 7

The following are my thoughts on today's opening game debacle:

1. Charlie Frye looked like he had never played a game in his life. He must be the only quarterback who doesnt understand the concept of throwing the ball away. I mean Rex Grossman at least knows how to throw a ball out of bounds. So much for all that he learned this summer with Donvan McNabb. I think it is a good chance that today was his last action he sees as quarterback of this franchise.


2. Derrick Anderson was ok and at least he looked like he knew what to do when he was in there. I ripped him in the preseason for looking lost but he gives us a much better chance to win until the powers that be see fit to let Brady Quinn put down the damn clipboard.


3. I wont rip Coach Chud's playcalling, but with having a trio of young quarterbacks, it is imperative to not go away from the running game down 17 in the second quarter.


4. I really thought the offensive line was solid today. Frye basically sacked himself today numerous times. I didnt expect a totally cohesive unit out there but I expect it to improve as the year goes on and especially after week 4 when Ryan Tucker comes back.


5. The defensive as a whole was ok, we did give up our share of big plays but the offense did them no favors. I thought we did a good job of getting pressure on the quarterback but still have plenty of room for improvement.


6. Did Romeo Crennel move at all during the game, all I saw from him was his arms folded and looking puzzled. You would think a guy who has his job on the line would show a little bit of intensity. That is why I liked the fire that Todd Grantham showed and if becomes the next coach I dont think many of us would be upset.


7. Living in Reading, PA I was forced to go to a sportsbar littered with Steeler Fans to watch the game today. But I must give a shout out to the three fellow Browns fans who sat with me today. As one of these Dawgs pointed out the two words you will never hear when describing a Steeler fan are classy and sophisticated.


8. My last thought is that if Paul Ernster is on the roster come Monday something is wrong. I'm not blaming him for the loss but his bonehead play of dropping a punt started the ball rolling down the slippery slope today.

My 3 gameballs go to

1. Kellen Winslow- Played a good game today and really seemed to try and get something started on offense. I loved how he told Vickers to stop with the dance down 17. Shows that he wants to take on a leadership role.


2. Joe Thomas- For his first game I thought he was solid. I like the aggression he plays with.


3. Derek Anderson- Came into a tought situation and played admirably and if your not going to play Quinn right now he deserves the start. I dont think he set the world on fire but he at least gave the team a chance.

My 3 goathorns go to

1. Paul Ernster- As mentioned above got the season off to a rocky start. Im praying Zastudil's back gets a lot better quickly.


2. Charlie Frye- Played easily his worse game as a Brown. Hopefully sometime soon Brady will pass him the damn clipboard.


3. Lawrence Vickers- Made a complete ass of himself out there dancing after scoring a touchdown as mentioned above. Was just glad to see someone call him out on it.

If anyone has anything they disagree with me on I would love to hear from you. Folks hopefully things get better next week.

Browns 17 Broncos 16

The Browns improved to 2-1 on the preseason with a win at Invesco Field at Mile High on Saturday night. Here are my thoughts on the game:

1. I thought all three quarterbacks played their best games of the off season. Charlie Frye had an impressive first drive and moved the team well and was solid in his time on Saturday. I thought Anderson was better but still is struggling with this offense and I think the writing is on the wall that he is the odd man out. Brady Quinn was really impressive. In all likelihood he really led the offense to two touchdown drives. I think having him as the number two quarterback at the start is the right thing to do for the long term needs of the team and his career. But when you watch him it is obvious the kid is going to be a great player in the league. I hope he gets at least a good half of play on Thursday night.
2. It was really good to see that Joe Jurevicius is still on the team, as he caught a couple of balls on Saturday night. I thought Braylon looked great out their against a really good shutdown corner and if he continues to impress this will really help the offense as a whole.
3. It is amazing how well the offensive line is playing as a unit. The Frye backers cant use the offensive line excuse this year because I really cant remember one play where a quarterback got killed except for the Anderson fumble at the start of last week's game.
4. The defensive line and run defense as a whole continues to be an easy. They aren't getting gashed for huge runs but the 7 and 8 yard runs they are giving up will take its toll. The one good thing I think with the run defense this year is that I think the defense wont be on the field as much this year so hopefully this results in some improvement. Also, give credit to the Broncos they are the number one running team in the league for a reason.
5. I thought our pass defense regressed some in this game but I think that is a result of the lack of pressure on the quarterback. But the lack of pressure could be in part of calling a vanilla defense.
6. After watching the Chudzinski offense for three weeks I really like what I see from the new offense in that it is much more creative and player friendly.
7. The last thing I wanted to mention is that after watching numerous preseason games on the NFL Network, it is obvious that Bernie Kosar is really one of the better color men during preseason. He does a great job of keeping the viewers informed and I feel like I'm learning something when I tune in.

The Browns will head to Chicago to finish up the preseason schedule on Thursday night.

Lions 23 Browns 20

Here are my thoughts on Saturday night's loss to Detroit:

1. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson were inconsistent yet again. I thought Frye was more of control than Anderson. Frye seems to have a good grasp of the offense he just his hampered by a lack of talent. When I look at Anderson's play he seems to really have a tough time grasping the offense and that when he is in the game things are going at a thousand miles per hour and he is just trying to catch up. This being said the debate between the two of them on who to start really isn't that important, because there not going to be a starting quarterback for more than 5 or 6 games. If I was in charge I would name Frye the starter, move Anderson and keep Dorsey as a mentor to Quinn. I like having Dorsey on the roster because he knows this offense as good as Coach Chud does.


2. I was impressed with Brady's performance but like everyone has said we shouldn't over exaggerate it. The things I was most impressed with in Quinn's performance were that he took what the defense gave him and played with poise in a situation where a lot of young quarterbacks would just try and make the big play. He also earned points in my book for his control of the huddle and the fact that he answered the questions from the media in a professional manner and knows he needs time to grow.


3. Jamal Lewis looked strong again on Saturday night. I really think we should limit his carries in the next two games to keep him fresh for the start of the season. I also think the battle for the 3ed running back spot on the roster is very interesting and I would give the nod to Barclay over Harrison.


4. It was good to see Braylon play well in catching a few balls and laying a block on Frye's 15 yard run. It would be nice if the Browns would find a way to get Jurevicius a catch in the preseason.


5. The offensive line as a whole has played solid despite playing without Steinbach. They have given the quarterbacks more than enough time to find receivers and have done a decent job in run blocking.


6. The defensive line continues to be a weakness on the team and unless we add someone of importance before the season starts it will continue to be an area of concern.


7. I thought the linebackers had another outstanding game. I love the way Wimbley and Peek feed off each other play with passion and get pressure on the quarterback. Wimbley also has improved in his play against the run.


8. Kudos go to Eric Wright for not giving up a reception to Calvin Johnson. Also, I think the team should really limit the snaps Leigh Bodden sees in the next two games so like Jamal Lewis he is ready for the Steelers in Week 1.

Browns 16 Chiefs 12

The Browns got off to a winning start in their first preseason game of the year. Here are my thoughts on the game:

1. I thought Charlie Frye was the much better of the three quarterbacks who played for us on Saturday night. He still made a few mistakes but I thought he looked pretty comfortable in the offense. My biggest fault on Frye's play was the horrific decision to get tackled at the end of the half and let the clock run out. I do think had he gotten the offense into the end zone a time or two he might have been named the starter right after the game.


2. I thought Derrick Anderson looked tentative and really unsure of himself. I know he didn't get good field position on his series's but still should have been better than he was.


3. On the running backs I thought Jamal Lewis looked sharp and ran with great intensity. It was good to see him get some work but he really shouldn't need that much work to be ready. I was most disappointed in Jerome Harrison that he really made a couple of bonehead plays in not running after the errant lateral and missing a few blocks in pass protection but he did run hard on his runs. Jason Wright ran hard as he usually does and I think Chris Barclay deserves a chance to win the third running back job away from Harrison.


4. On the receivers front I thought what we saw out of our first team receivers and tight ends weren't much but they did do good things. Cribbs had a nice end around and I really hope he is featured more in the offense. The Steptoe kid after making a mistake early I thought had a good game. Mosley had a nice catch as well as Ryan Krause had a really stellar game. But this shouldn't come as a surprise since he knows the offense probably better than anyone in camp.


5. The offensive line had a solid game in that I felt they got really good push on plays in the running game. The pass protection was really good as well. Joe Thomas had a decent game but did get whistled for two holding calls but the most important thing was he did a really good job pass protecting against Jared Allen.


6. The biggest surprise of the game was the play of Antwan Peek at the outside linebacker position and this really should help Wimbley in getting to the quarterback.


7. Eric Wright had a good game for his first time out against another team. He made a nice play in coverage and I liked how he stuck his nose in and made a nice tackle against the run.


8. I think for a first preseason game this was the best the Browns have looked in years but really that's not saying much. I think the next game will be more of a factor on where we are at as a team.

10 observations from the first week of Browns training camp

After a week in the books the following are my 10 thoughts on the opening week of camp:

1. I really think its obvious to see that Kellen Winslow will emerge as our best player by far and I think you will seem him take more of a leadership role because of his comfort in this offense. Also with the same offense in which he excelled in college you will see him as much more of a threat down field which in tune will make the wide receivers better.
2. You have to love the way that Jamal Lewis has busted it thorough the first week of camp and how excellent of shape he is in. From watching him on film I love the take no prisoners attitude he has shown. I have always thought we needed more players who aren't fun to play against. This team has had far too many players who play like nice guys on the field.
3. Kameron Wimbley looks to me like a player who is going to get even better in his second year. Having another rusher in Antwan Peek on the other side and just getting more comfortable with the defense will propel his development that much more.
4. I like everyone else want to see one of our quarterbacks take the job from the other but I'm not ready to panic that they haven't picked up the offense that quickly yet but I think as this team builds the running game which I think will happen that will aid the quarterbacks in their understanding of the offense.
5. As a Miami Hurricane fan who has watched the Chudzinski offense before I really think it will be one the fans will grow to love. It will be an offense that is based on the running game but will aim to make big plays in the passing game. The other thing you will find from this offense after a big turnover on defense look for this offense to go for the jugular right away. The days of fullback option passes and predictability are over.
6. I have joined the rest of you in questioning our defensive line. We really need someone in their to step up and have a good season. I like what I have seen out of Shaun Smith and I think at the nose tackle we will be fine but on the end opposite Robaire Smith we need someone step up.
7. It sure looks like we might have gotten the steal of the draft in Eric Wright. The kid just looks like a natural at corner. You have to give Crennel, Savage and Grantham credit in that they have started to build a solid and maybe excellent secondary.
8. As everyone has heard Ryan Tucker is out 4 games for testing positive for steroids. I like everyone else is disappointed. I do give the guy credit for not hiding behind any flimsy excuses and maned up for a dumb decision.
9. I like everyone else here is really tired of this Brady Quinn saga. I know the reporters have to ask the questions but I just assume not talk about him till he gets in camp. I like how Romeo has just called him the quarterback and refused to refer to him by name.
10. The most pleasant surprise to be in camp is how well the offensive line has looked and how they seem to be meshing as a unit. This is the biggest key to a successful season this year.